May Telkom burn!

[Dave A]

After much testing, I've finally deployed a Sugar CRM installation on our office intranet - only to find it isn't working as it should.

The problem is the email functionality. The system requires IMAP connections to my web server hosted overseas, which was fine and well while I was testing over a Vodacom 3G connection. However, the office intranet connects to the big wide world via Telkom ADSL, and IMAP traffic is so deprioritised the gateway keeps timing out (even at a 1 minute setting, which is a lifetime in IT terms).

Burn Telkom, Burn

Ordinarily I could just deploy Sugar on the webserver, but I need it hosted on the intranet for a bridge to our financial system. And apart from the security issues, I expect even more problems trying to bridge the two db's via the internet.

Any ideas on a workaround?

[tec0]

I am going to sound very stupid “I KNOW” But why not change to POP I don’t know the limitations of your software so it is really difficult for me to help.

[twinscythe12332]

go unshaped?

[Dave A]

Two logical suggestions, thanks. I had to ask local - you raise a problem as ridiculous as this on an international support board and most of them shake their head in disbelief. Even the guys in outer Mongolia connecting via dial-up get an attack of the sniggers.

Here are the concerns with each idea:

But why not change to POP

Not an option on the software itself as this is not a "common" problem. The idea with IMAP is you pull the email headers, but only pull the content as you want/need it. And with fair chunks of the purpose, all you want is the headers. Ironically, given Telkom's seeming aversion to the protocol, using IMAP probably reduces bandwidth across the link

But running with the POP idea, what I would need is a mailserver that runs on Apache and will pull the mail content off the webserver via POP - then make it available for an IMAP call on the local machine - not quite the standard way of behaving as a mailserver. But maybe there's something out there.

go unshaped?

Probably cheaper than getting a local webserver and should solve the problem. My reservation here... well there's a couple.

1. Every time I change something on our Telkom account, Telkom manages to stuff something up that was working before - normally the ID of the header line. (There actually is a valid reason for this. Unfortunately a long story, but I'll tell it if anyone is really curious).
2. Telkom wins with their shaped vs unshaped strategy and they really don't deserve the victory.

[tec0]

What equipment do Telkom use to shape your line? Don’t get me wrong on this. I imagine that if your line is shape it is done so with your IP address. “Simple case and point do your IP address change when you reconnect” chances are it stays the same.

If this is the case then they are shaping you via your IP address. Then the hardware is actually very familiar to me. See if Telkom is not too stupid they will be able to set a rule that will allow your IMAP to connect faster.

[Dave A]

they will be able to set a rule that will allow your IMAP to connect faster.

...or even slower.

You don't have to manage individual clients' priority settings - you steer which pipe they go into based on their subscription package. From there shaping the connection is very easy - you simply set the priority for each protocol (and/or the ports normally associated) at key proxy servers for the shaped service pipe.

Oh well - I'm exploring the best way to go unshaped tomorrow.

[tec0]

Hope it works.

[SilverNodashi]

Dave, it's time to switch ISP's I personally use IMAP on a 4GB+ account, connect to a USA based server and have no issues, using Afrihost's IS accounts.

[tonyflanigan]

Hey guys. kinda off-topic here...

Our Telkom adsl contract thingie expires in december. I firmly believe there are other better options than to subsidize theft and corruption, but don't know what. We use, on average, 5gig a month.

In non-tech terms, where should we start looking?

[SilverNodashi]

I firmly believe there are other better options than to subsidize theft and corruption, but don't know what.

Emigrate to the UK / Australia / USA ?

[tec0]

tonyflanigan Hey guys. kinda off-topic here...

Our Telkom adsl contract thingie expires in december. I firmly believe there are other better options than to subsidize theft and corruption, but don't know what. We use, on average, 5gig a month.

In non-tech terms, where should we start looking?

Have a look here you may find it interesting: http://www.hellkom.co.za/

It is filled with suggestions and alternatives as well as handy links

[SilverNodashi]

On a more serious note though, you need to shift your perception about this a bit. We are not USA / UK / AU / etc, we are South Africa, and what we have is pretty darn good considering where we come from and how we involved (IT wise) in the past 10-15 years. Many of the other countries took much longer to get to the same point.

That said, ADSL,is ADSL, is ADSL. The only difference is "who do you want to deal with" for the service? One company will charge R10pm less, another will through in more email accounts.

Sign up @ Afrihost, you'll be paying R290pm for 10GB, or R145 for 5GB/pm

[tec0]

Yes well think of it this way. With over 20 million mobile phones eating R2 per 1MB our service providers can afford to install only the best. Still doesn’t make it cheaper...

[Dave A]

Sign up @ Afrihost, you'll be paying R290pm for 10GB, or R145 for 5GB/pm

And that's unshaped?

[Dave A]

Well, I called Afrihost and explained the problem. Their ADSL offering is shaped and they expect there would be a problem with IMAP connections to an overseas server

Their recommendation - go unshaped, and they don't offer an unshaped service.